Interlocking device



March 8, 1949. G. G. KEYES 2,463,696

INTERLOCKING DEVICE Filed July 2, 1945 Z L E.

A I 7 Hip kl 42 hilmmll l FIG. 2

INVENTOR GEORGE G. KEYES in WMZMQ ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 8, 1949 INTERLOCKING DEVICE.

George G. Keyes, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Teletype Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application July 2, 1945, Serial No. 602,714

6 Claims. 1 The present invention relates to telegraph apparatus and more particularly to record strip controlled transmitting devices and interlocking record strip cooperating devices therefor.

In telegraph systems comprising a central station and a plurality of local stations utilizing tape transmitters, it is desirable to have identification codes recorded in the tape preceding the message to inform the central station as to where the message originated. The identification code designations for the local stations are made up of a group of signals arranged in predetermined sequences peculiar to each station. Therefore. to insure proper station identification, it is imperative that the transmission of the message from the local station begins with the first signal of the station identification code.

Thus, the principal object of this invention is to provide a device for withdrawing the tape feeding means out of engagement with the feed perforations of the record tape and locking said means in its withdrawn position to enable the operator to manually feed the tape to any desired position in relation with the sensing pins. For instance, to position the tape in such a manner that when the transmitter is started, the first signal of the station identification code will be the first signal transmitted.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for locking the tape-out control contact pair in an opened position after it has been opened by the tape-out sensing pin, whereby said means is adapted to be restored to its unoperated position by manual means.

A feature of this invention is the utilization of the aforementioned manual means to unlock the tape feed withdrawing means so that the tape feeding mechanism may engage the feed perforations in the tape. This feature will be set forth more fully hereinafter in the detailed description of operation.

In general, the apparatus comprises a mounting bracket secured to the base casting of a printing telegraph apparatus of the type disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,355,657, issued on August 15, 1944, to R. A. Lake, upon which are mounted pivotally the tape-out locking lever and the tape feed withdrawing lever. The extremity of the tape-out locking lever is bent at a right angle and has a projection thereon which cooperates with an insulated extension of a spring of the contact pair connected in series with the transmitter clutch electromagnet. The tape-out locking lever is normally held out of engagement with the spring of the contact pair by means of a shoulder on a pivoted lever secured to the aforementioned bracket at a right angle to the tape-out locking lever. The pivoted lever has a projection which cooperates with an extension of a depending finger of the tape-out pin cam follower.

When there is no tape in the transmitter, the sixth pin (tape-out pin) is allowed to move upwardly through its associated aperture in the tape guideway, thereby its associated cam follower is rotated counterclockwise as it reaches the low portion of its associated cam. Thus, the extension of the depending finger of said cam follower is moved forward to open the conta t pair to break the transmitter clutch magnet circuit, thereby rendering the transmitter unoperative. As the extension of the depending finger is moved forward it also rotates the pivoted lever which is blocking the tape-out locking lever so that the tape-out locking lever may be rotated counterclockwise under the urging of its associated spring to cause the projection at its extremity to lock the contact pair in its open posi tion.

After another tape is inserted in the transmitter, the operator depresses the tape-out locking lever, rotating it in a clockwise direction until the pivoted lever is again blocking the tapeout locking lever from engaging the contact pair, thereby allowing said contact pair to close and be under the influence of the tape-out pin.

Also provided in the device is a tape release lever which lowers the tape feed arm out of engagement with the feed perforations in the tape so that the operator may manually feed the tape through the transmitter to any desired position.

When the operator depresses the tape release lever, it is rotated in a clockwise direction. Thereby its extremity engages a carnming surface of a depending finger of the tape feed cam follower to rotate it in a clockwise direction, lowering the tape feed arm out of engagement with the feed perforations in the tape. A bell crank mounted pivotally on the bracket, at a right angle to the tape release lever, has a shoulder at the extremity of its vertical arm which engages the tape release lever to lock it in its operative position.

After the tape is positioned, the operator depresses the tape-out locking lever. The tape-out locking lever rotates in a clockwise direction and raises an extended portion of a second arm of the bell crank to rotate said bell crank in a counterclockwise direction. so that the shoulder of the vertical arm is no longer blocking the tape release lever. The tape release lever is then returned to its unoperative position by the urging of its associated spring, thereby allowing the tape feed arm to engage the feed perforations in the tape.

A more complete understanding of the foregoing and other objects and features of the present invention maybe had from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters designate similar parts throughout the several views, and in which Fig. 1 is a partial front sectional view of that portion of the printing telegraph apparatus disclosed in the aforementionedpatent, necessary to describe the present invention whichis incorporated therein;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on lines 2-2 of Fi 1, and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the apparatus embodying the present invention.

Briefly, the structureof the aforementioned Lake patent, which exemplifies a device to which the present invention is adapted, may be considered as including three principal units; namely a printing reperforator I I, a tape sensing unit I 2, and a transmitting unit (not shown). Each of the several units is mounted on base casting l3.

The printing reperforator ll, included in the apparatus under consideration, is substantially the same as that printing reperiorator disclosed in the aforementioned Lake Patent No. 2,355,657 and for "a more complete understandin'g'iof the struet'ure and mode of operation of this unit, ref erence may be had to said patent which'is incorporated herein by reference.

'A'punch block [4, Fig. 1. secured to the reperforator casting I5 is suitably apertured to receive in a slidable manner the code punches I'B which project through the punch block 14 and a'guide comb l1. Interponents or permutation elements l9 are movable back and forth over the face of cradle I 8 and are adapted to be positioned in different combinations to'place'the outer ends thereof, either in operative positions beneath the corresponding punches H5, or in unoperative positions out of alig ment withpunche's l6.

Upon each permutative'setting ofthe interponents l9, cradle 18 is rocked in a clockwise direction to produce a row of perforations in the tape 2| through the 'actuations of punches IB-corresponding to the setting of the interponents IS. The punches l6 arefia'ttened or hammered out at lii lo e extremities b'r b Shoulas ben a h a with l that as la s rocked in a counterclockwisedirection, comb I! may. withdraw punches l 6 to their lowermost positions. A feed sprocket 22, is,provided to cooperate iih hei d hole i the ar and e f s th o wel .lsncwn W 1 a r che devices to step the. tape throughthe punchblock nsin uni 1 employed with the r in reperforator'is of the pivoted or traveling type which is adapted to s n e every code perforation recordedin a tape by the printing reperforator without the necessity of stepping the perforated tape a plurality of feeding distance fromthe periorating unit into the sensing unit. This sensing unit, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is substantially the. same asthesensing unitshown in the aforementioned Lake patentfwith the exception that the rectilinear feeding mechanism has been changed to conform with the feeding mechanism disclo d in c en ins a p icat on Seri o- 521,315, filed February 7, 1944, now Patent No. 2,388,965 of November 13, 1945, by M. T. Goetz. The sensing unit comprises essentially a plurality of sensing elements to sense the perforations in a tape, a member for feeding the tape through the sensing unit having imparted to it rectilinear motion, and a cam drum for controlling the operation of the sensing elements and the tape feeding member.

Unit l2 has a base casting 23, Figs. 1 and 2, which is removably mounted upon the base casting I3 of the apparatus. The casting 23 consists vofapair of parallel vertical wall sections 24 interconnected by a relatively fiat web portion 25. Theleftvvardextremity of portion 25 is formed into a vertical portion which is channeled to serve as a journal fora shaft 26 and slotted to provide .a comb which serves to guide the vertical oscillations of the memberss which support and operate the sensing elements. The rightward portion of wall sections 24 support pivot studs 2'! upon which the movable or pivoted portion of the sensing unit is secured. Specifically, the frame members 28 and 29 are secured to the pivots 21. A plate 3! is carried by the pivoted frame members and carries a hinge post 32 upon which is hingedly supported a tape gate 33 which in conjunction with the plate 3! definesthe passageway for the perforated tape 2] through the sensing unit. A spring latch 34, Fig. 2, secured to a bracket 35 mounted on frame member 29, holds the tape gate 33 in cooperating relation with the plate 3i.

' As viewed iii-Fig.2, 'plate 3l is provided with a plurality of apertures to receive the reduced portion or end of a corresponding series of sensing pins 36; that is, there is a sensin pin 36 individual to each of the; code apertures adjacent to the edge of plate 3i. Inasmuch as a'five unit code is utilized, there will be'a corresponding number of sensing pins 36, for example, there will be a sensing finger or pin 36 for each of the possible code perforations appearing in a transverse row of perforations.

The rectilinear feed means, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is comparable in action to that disclosed in the aforementioned R. A. Lake patent, but instead of the pin and cam slot arrangement of the latter patent, a rectilinear feed means is provided which is comparable to the rectilinear feed means disclosed in the above-identified patent No. 2,388,965.

Intermediate the upper portions of the frame members 28 and 29 and in the space determined by the spacer 31 is a slidably movable member 38 which carries on its upper extremity a plurality of tapeffe'ed pins 39. Pins 39 are so spaced as to en a e four successive -fee d holesin the tape 2i. The purpose of providingfeed pins-for simultaneously engaging four feed-holes in the tape is to minimizethe possibility of the feed perforations becoming mutilated. A pin or wedging element 4| is carried on a lever 4Zandis reciprocated vertically during thefifll e feeding operation. The Din 4| cooperates witnsurface Q3 of spacer 3] and surface, of member 38.

The member or spacer SI has two operating sur a e 4 a In a it on, m e 31 functions to space the upper portions of the frame members 28 and 29 apart'to form a guide for the arm -38. The surface 4 l5 ofspacer ill cooperates with the right hand upper edge of arm 38 to form the gh -ha lim t ,St q p i r e d pin a m 3 Arm 38 is biased toward this stop surface 45 at all times by springs 46, Fig. 1, only one of which i shown- .The v 11 1 1.left-han ed or the a feed arm 38 indicated at 47 cooperates with an adjustable jstop'48'as' the pin"j4l on the arm '42 i's'r'eciprocated downwardly, as will presently appear.

As will be described hereinafter, arms 38 and 42 are operated in timed relation with each other. Arm 4.2 is drawn downwardly, and when so drawn, and due to the particular inter-relation between the surfaces 43 and 44, member 38 will be moved to the left to effect relative movement between the sensing unit 12 and the tape 2!. Memberiit then is moved downwardly to withdraw the tape feed pins 39 from engagement with the feed perforations in the tape 2 i. As arm 38 is thus moved downwardly, arm 42 is also moved downwardly simultaneously an additional amount to maintain arm 38 against stop 42, thereby insuring the downward movement or withdrawal of the tape feed pins in a straight line. Following thisaction, arm 42 is moved upwardly, and due to the cooperation between surfaces 43 and 44 and springs 46,

member 38 is moved to the right to engage the stop surface 45 of member 31. The member 38 is thereafter elevated to cause the pins 39 to en age other feed perforations in the tape 2! to achieve, on a subsequent cycle, relative movement between the sensing unit l2 and the tape 2 l.

On the shaft 26 which. is supported by the channel formed in the leftward portion of base casting 23 of the sensing unit are supported pivotally aplurality of Y-levers' 49 as well as other levers including those required to control the operation of the members 38 and 42 of'the tape feedingrnechanism. The Y-levers .49 are individual tothe sensing fingers 36 and those fingers are secured. pivotally to the arms of the Y-levers 49 extending to the right of the shaft as seen in Fig. 1. Theleftward portions of the Y-levers 49 extend through a guide comb 5! which is secured to the vertical walls of the base casting 23 of the sensing unit [2. The comb is suitably slotted to guide the vertical operation of the Y-levers 49 about the shaft 26. Each Y-lever 43 is provided leftwardly of the shaft 26 with an upstanding projection 52 to which is secured a spring 53, the other end of which is secured to a member 54, mounted on the guide comb 5i. Springs 53 tend normally to rotate the Y-levers 49 in a counterclockwise direction about shaft 26 so that projections 55 on the lower leftward extensions of Y-levers 49 cooperate with the peripheri'es of cams 56 to reciprocate the sensing fingers vertically to sense the perforations in the tape 2! in a manner to be described herein after.

As may be seen in Fig. 2, two additional sens- L ing'pins l3 and 14 are provided which press each edge of the tape 2| against the tape gate 33 to hold the tape against movement when the member 38"is out of engagement with the feed perforations of the tape 2|. 14 "are secured to cam controlled Y-levers 49 in a manner similar to the manner in which the aforementioned code sensing pins 36 are secured to their associated Y-levers 49. The purpose of the pins 13 and 14 will be more clearly understood in the operational description to be set forth hereinafter.

The sensing pin 74 has a double function, primarily to be utilized as aforementioned, and also as a tape-out "control; The Ylever 49 which controls the sensing pin M has a depending arm 15 which has a cylindrical blocking member 15 secured thereto. When there is no tape inthe sensing unit, the sensing pin 74 is permitted to The sensing pins 13 and 1 16 be raised .to its uppermost position by its asso: ciated -Y -lever 4.9,- thereby causing the member ,16; secured 150 depending arm 15, to move the spring 11 of contact pair 1cm the right, Fig. 1, thereby opening contact 18 to break the sensing unit control circuit, which will hereinafter be described;

Also supported pivotally by shaft 25 is a bell crank lever 51, Figs. 1 and 2, which has secured pivotally to its extremity the member 33. EX- tending to ,theright from the rearward portion of the U-shaped portion 58 of the bell crank lever 51 is an upstanding projection 59 to which is secured a spring 6| which normally tends to bias the crank lever 51 in a counterclockwise direction about shaft 2E. A cam follower 52, which cooperates with the periphery of cam t l, is also mounted pivotally on shaft 26 and is secured to the projection 59 of the bell crank lever 5'! by means of a screw .63. Thus, it may be seen that the vertical reciprocation of the member 323 is controlled by the configuration of cam 64.

The lever 42 which carries the pin .4! is pivotally secured to the rightward extremity of a bell crank lever which is supported pivotally on shaft 25. Bell crank lever 55, Figs. 1 and 2, is secured to an upstanding projection 68 of a lever 6! by means of a screw 58. A spring 89, shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, is secured to a horizontal extension of the lever 51 to normally bias it in a clockwise direction so that the roller ll, Figs; 1 and 2, will cooperate with the periphery of tis associated cam '12 to impart vertical reciprocation to the lever 42.

All of the afore-mentioned cams are mounted on a cam drum l9, Figs. 1 and 2, which is supported on a constantly rotating shaft iii. The rotation of the cam drum 79 is controlled by a grab clutch (not shown) of a type which is well knpwii' in the art and is described in detail in theTaforementioned R. A. Lake patent. The clutch is operated by an electromagnet (not shown) in such a manner that when the electroinagnet remains energized the cam drum 19 will rotate continuously, and upon de-energization of the electromagnet the clutch is disengaged after cam drum l9 completes its instant cycle of revolution. The energization of the electromagnet is 11117- der 'the joint control of a manually operated switch (not shown), a transmitter operated switch, and the tape-out contact pair 13, all of which are connected in series. The transmitter operated "switch (not shown) is controlled by means of a rightwardly extending projection 82 (comparable to projection 205 of Lake Patent 2,355,657) of frame member 28. When the sensing unit 12 in pivoting about its pivots 2'! has reached its ultimate clockwise position, projection 82 will operate the switch to break the circuit of thetra'ns'mitter clutch magnet and arrest the operation of the cam sleeve 19. Thus, it may be seenthat the operation of the sensing unit 12 may be initiated when desired by the manual switch and terminated automatically upon the operation of the sensing unit as it senses the last code signal combination perforated in the tape by the printing reperforator H, or upon the absence of a tape in the sensing unit, as previously described' 2 A mounting bracket 83, Figs. 2 and 3, is se cured'to the base casting l3 by means of screws 84. A lever having a shoulder 86, is mounted pivotally on the bracket 83 by means of stud 8] and normally tends to rotate in a clockwise direction under the urging of expansion spring 98, Fig. 3. Also mounted pivotally on the bracket 83 by means of stud 89 is the tape-out control locking lever 9|, shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, with only that portion of lever 9| which cooperates with the tape-out contact pair 18 shown in Fig. 1. The rightward portion of lever 9|, Fig. 3, forms a vertical arm 92 and terminates in a finger piece 93. The leftward extremity of lever 9| is offset and terminates in a projection 94. The lever 9| is urged in a counterclockwise direction by means of spring 95 and cooperates with the shoulder 86 on lever 85.

Located directly above stud 81 on lever 85 is a projection 96, Fig. 3, which cooperates with the blocking member 76, as shown in Fig. 1. When the blocking member I6 is moved to the right (Fig. 1), it urges both the spring 'II of contact pair I8 and the projection 96 rightwardly. Thus, the shoulder 86 of lever 85, Fig. 3, is removed from blocking engagement with the lever 9| which, due to the pull of its associated spring 95, is rotated in a counterclockwise direction causing projection 94, Fig. 1, to latch the contact spring I1 in its rightward position, thereby holding the contact I8 open.

Mounted pivotally on bracket 83 by means of a stud 9! is the tape release lever 98, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, with only that portion of lever 98 which cooperates with the depending arm 99 of cam follower 62 shown in Fig. 1. The rightward portion of lever 98, Fig. 3, forms a vertical arm |9I and terminates in a finger piece I92. The tape release lever 98 is normally urged in a counter clockwise direction by spring I93, Fig. 3.

When the lever 98 is rotated in a clockwise direction, its leftward extremity, Fig. 3, cooperates with the camming surface I98 (Fig. 1) to rotate depending arm 99 of cam follower 62 in a clockwise direction, Fig. 1, thereby moving the member 38 downwardly so that feed pins 39 are lowered out of engagement with the feed perforations of tape 2 I.

Also mounted pivotally on bracket 83, by a stud I91, is a bell crank lever I94 which normally tends to rotate in a counterclockwise direction under the urging of the expansion spring 88. The vertical arm I95 of the bell crank lever I94 has a shoulder I 96 thereon which latches the lever 98 in its clockwise position (Fig. 3). An arm I98 of the bell crank lever I94 has its eX- tremity disposed directly above and in the path of lever 9|, so that the clockwise rotation of lever 9| (Fig. 3) will raise the arm I98, thereby rotating the bell crank lever I94 suificiently to move the shoulder I99 out of latching engagement with lever 98 to allow it to return to its normal position, Fig. 3.

A brief description of the operation of the sensing unit will now be given to illustrate more clearly the manner in which the present invention is utilized in conjunction with the sensing unit.

Assuming the printing reperforator II to be operating .at a greater speed than the sensing unit I2, a loop of tape will be formed intermediate the units II and I2, and the sensing unit I2 will pivot on studs 2! in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 1) until the adjustable stop I99 is reached. As the cam drum I9 is rotated, Fig. 1, pin 4| is actuated downwardly to move the member 38 to the left until it reaches the stop 48, thereby moving the tape 2| into position for the first transverse row of code perforations to be sensed by the sensing pins 36. As cam drum I9 continues to rotate, cams 56 simultaneously present cam depressions to the plurality of Y-levers 49 to elevate the sensing pins 36 into tape probing position under the influence of biasing springs 53 individual to each Y-lever. The member 38, now in its leftward position, is lowered in timed relation with pin 4|, as clearly shown in the copending M. T. Goetz application, so that the feed pins 39 are disengaged from the feed perforations in tape 2|. The sensing pins I3 and I4 are operated at the same time as the sensing pins 36 and press the edges of the tape 2| against the tape gate 33, thereby holding the tape in a fixed position while the member 38, in its lowermost position is moved rightwardly till it reaches the stop 45. As the cam drum I9 reaches the end of its revolution, the member 38, in its rightward position against stop 45, is raised to its uppermost position with the feed pins 39 in engagement with the feed perforations of tape 2| and the sensing pins 36. I3 and I4 are retracted. This operation is repeated cyclically as the tap is passed through the sensing unit I 2.

When the tape in the sensing unit I2 has become depleted or broken, or in response to a special perforation in the rightward edge of the tape as Viewed in Fig. 2, the sensing pin I4 is permitted to be raised to its uppermost position by its associated Y-lever 49, thereby causing the member 16 (Fig. 1), secured to depending arm I5, to move the spring H of contact pair I8 to the right, to break the circuit of the aforementioned clutch electromagnet, thus stopping the operation of the sensing unit. The projection 96 of the lever 85 is also moved to the right by member I6 (leftwardly as viewed in Fig. 3), thereby allowing the lever 9| to drop 01f of shoulder 89 of lever 85, Fig. 3, allowing the projection 94 of lever 9| Fig. 1, to latch the contact 40 spring II, thus preventing contact pair I8 from closing until the operator manually resets lever 9|.

After a new tape has been inserted in the sensing unit, the operator depresses the finger piece I92 of the lever 98. The extremity of the lever 98, Fig. 1, thereby cooperates with the camming surface I98 of the depending finger 99 to lower the member 38. The bell crank lever I94, Fig. 3, is rotated counterclockwise under the urging of spring 88 so that the shoulder I99 of the bell crank lever I94 blocks the lever 98 from returning to its normal position. Thus, the feed pins 39, Fig. 1, are held disengaged from the feed perforations of the tape to enable the operator to adjust the tape manually so that the sensing unit may resume transmission with any desired transverse row of code perforations aligned with the sensing pins. A stop III, Fig. 3, is provided so that the rotation of lever 98 may be limited to an amount sufiicient to achieve the desired results.

When it is desired to resume transmission, the operator depresses the finger piece 93 of lever 9|, thereby raising the projection 94 of lever 9|, Fig. 1, out of latching relation with contact spring 11 so that contact pair I8 may be closed to permit the re-energization of the clutch magnet thus allowing the sensing unit to resume operation. As the lever 9|, Fig. 3, is rotated clockwise it engages the arm II 9 of the bell crank lever I94, rotating it in a clockwise direction so that the shoulder I 99 of vertical arm I95 is withdrawn from latching engagement with the tape release lever 98. The lever 98 is thereby permitted to rotate in a counterclockwise direction under the pull of the spring I93 to its normal position to allow the member 38 to elevate so that the feed pins 39 engage the feed perforations of the tape. When the operator releases finger piece 93, the lever 9|, under the pull of the spring 95, is rotated in a counterclockwise direction until it is again resting on the shoulder 86 of the lever 85,

A further purpose of the shoulder 86 is to preclude the operator from raising the finger piece 93, thereby rotating the lever 9| in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 3) and causing the projection 94 (Fig. l) to mutilate the contact pair 18. A stop H2, located at the upper extremity of lever 85 is provided to prevent the operator from rotating the lever 9| more than is necessary.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in the drawings and described in the specification, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such specific embodiment but may be modified and rearranged without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a record reader including means for sensing indicia in a record strip, a record strip feeding means, automatic means for operating said feeding means, an interlocking device comprising a manually operated means for rendering said automatic means ineffective and locking means therefor, means responsive to a condition of record strip depletion for arresting the operation of said sensing means, said interlocking device including means for locking said arresting means, and further manually operated unlocking means included in said interlocking device dually effective for enabling the reoperation of said automatic means and initiating the operation of said sensing means.

2. In a record reader, a strip feeding device comprising a fixed member having a wedging surface, cam means, a movable strip feeding member having a wedging surface, said feeding member controlled by said cam means, a wedging element cooperable with said wedging surfaces and operated by said cam means in timed relation with said feeding member to impart step by step movement to a record strip, a depending arm having a camming surface thereon, and a manually operated element cooperating with the camming surface of said depending arm to withdraw said feeding member out of engagement with the feed holes in said record strip independently of said cam means.

3. In combination, a record reader including means for sensing indicia in a record strip, control means, means effective under a certain condition of operation of said sensing means indicative of record strip depletion to operate said control means, means effective to lock said control means, a strip feeding device including a fixed member having a wedging surface, cam means, a movable feeding member having a wedging surface, said feeding member controlled by said cam means, a wedging element cooperable with said wedging surfaces and operated by said cam means in timed relation with said feeding member to impart step by step movement to said record strip, a depending arm having a camming surface thereon, a manually operated element effective to cooperate with the camming surface of said depending arm to withdraw said feeding member out of engagement with the feed holes in said record strip independently of said cam means, means for locking said manually operated element in its operative position, and manually operated means for unlocking said manually operated element and said control means to render said control means responsive to the further control of said sensing means.

i. In combination, a record reader including means for sensing indicia in a record strip, control means, cam means, said cam means timing the operation of said control means, record strip feeding means effective under the control of said cam means to impart step by step movement to said record strip, means effective under a certain condition of operation of said record reader indicative of record strip depletion to operate, through the instrumentality of said cam means, said control means to govern said record reader; an interlocking device comprising a control means locking element, a manually operated means for withdrawing and locking said feeding means out of engagement with the feed holes in said record strip independently of said cam means, and a manually operated member for releasing said control means locking element and said manually operated means.

5. In combination, a record reader including means for sensing indicia in a record strip, record strip feeding means, automatic means for operating said feeding means, a first manually operated means for withdrawing said feeding means out of engagement with the feed holes in said record strip independently of said automatic means, control means, latch means for said control means, means responsive to a condition of tape depletion for operating said control means, a second manually operated means associated with said control means, and means integral with said latch means and cooperatively related with said first manually operated means, whereby said first manually operated means is effective to simultaneously unlatch said control means and said second manually operated means.

6. In combination in a record reader, record strip feeding means, an interlocking means cooperatively related to said record reader, said interlocking means comprising a pair of manually operable pivoted members, a first spring actuated element coacting with one member of said pair of pivoted members, and a second spring actuated element coacting with both members of said pair of pivoted members, and automatic means effective under a certain condition of operation indicative of tape depletion to operate said first spring actuated element to condition said one member of said pair of pivoted members to establish the arrestment of said operation of said record strip feeding means, whereby upon actuation of the other member of said pair of pivoted members said second spring actuated element is conditioned to respond to the manual actuation of said one member of said pair of pivoted members to enable resumption of operation of said record strip feeding means.

GEORGE G. KEYES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,850,955 Fear Mar. 22, 1932 2,296,845 Goetz Sept. 29, 1942 

